This is a multi-step, interactive tool for users to identify potential risks (to people, buildings, infrastructure, contamination, land) for selected coastal areas in the US, using scenarios of water level rising (as a result of tides, sea level rise, and storm surge) from 0-10 feet. Tool provides local, regional and national resources as guidance for managing risk.

Teaching Tips

Excellent resource for students examining potential impacts of rising waters on local coastal communities.

Have students use the full-feature map instead of the default map. Other aspects of local flood risk are featured in this view.

Direct students to begin their exploration by resetting the water level to "show current coast." Then have them increase sea level by 1 or 2 feet to explore the changes/flooding that will occur in that region.

Educators should be familiar with the navigation and how students are going to interact with the visualization, before introducing the tool to students.

About the Science

This tool allows users to explore sea level and coastal flood risks at any location in the US.

Risks to population, property, and landmarks are listed.

Flood levels can be adjusted so that each stage of flooding can be studied.

Comments from expert scientist:
Scientific strengths:
- A wide variety of detailed information provided from population to infrastructure damage projections
- Many cities are in the database
- Visual tools
- Links to other, more detailed information
- "Reducing your risk" resource is fantastic
- The local resources provided based on the coastal city you enter

Suggestion:
-Would be super helpful if there was more information on the science behind sea level rise.

About the Pedagogy

Tool is designed primarily for communities and policymakers but can be used as a resource for the classroom, with students acting as members of a community charged with understanding the risks of sea level rise (and associated rising of water levels) and proposing adaptation/mitigation strategies.

Guidance to instructors is not provided.

Local fact sheets and reports can be downloaded for each location selected.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

Next Generation Science Standards
See how this
Simulation/Interactive supports:

High School

Performance Expectations: 1

HS-ESS3-5: Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

HS-ESS3.D1:Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.